40 new jobs announced for Athlone
There’s a welcome jobs boost for Athlone today with 40 new posts announced by a global biopharmaceutical name.
Alexion Pharma Ireland Trading, a subsidiary of Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc, has announced that it has agreed to purchase a vialling facility, on land formerly owned by Elan, now home to Alkermes, in Monksland, Athlone.
The closing of the acquisition is expected to occur during the first quarter of 2014, after which improvements and fit-out of the facility is expected to commence as part of the IDA investment.
In July last year, Alexion announced plans to expand its global presence with the opening of a new office and laboratory facility in Dublin in conjunction with the company’s decision to establish a global supply chain facility in Ireland.
The acquisition of the facility in Athlone is part of the plan to establish global supply chain operations in Ireland.
Alexion is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and delivery of therapies for severe and life-threatening rare disorders and currently employs 1,800 people worldwide.
Stephen Squinto, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Global Operations Officer at Alexion stated: “The acquisition of the Athlone facility is a sign of our commitment to growing our newly established global supply chain operation in Ireland. As we continue to grow and expand our operations to serve more patients, this facility will help us to provide life-transforming medicines to patients in Europe and around the world.”
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton commented: “Pharmaceuticals is a key part of the Government’s plans for jobs and growth, and in recent years we have targeted supports in particular at the generics and biopharmaceuticals areas where there is significant potential for growth.”
“Today’s announcement that Alexion, a global leader in this sector, is expanding its operations in Ireland and creating 40 jobs is very welcome news. With strong implementation of our plan I am confident that we can see further announcements like this in the coming months,” he enthused.
Alexion is a highly innovative biopharmaceutical company and its decision to expand its activities in Ireland is very welcome according to Barry O’Leary, CEO of IDA Ireland.
“The facility in Athlone strengthens the life sciences cluster in the Midlands region. IDA Ireland continues to attract the leading players in the BioPharma industry with seven of the top ten global BioPharma companies having strategic operations here,” added Mr O’Leary.
Alexion currently employs people at its Park West facility and is expanding its workforce in Ireland. Following the appropriate validation processes and regulatory approval, the Athlone facility will become Alexion’s first company-owned vialling facility.
Recognised by Forbes Magazine as the second most innovative company in the world two years in a row, Alexion is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and delivery of therapies for severe and life-threatening rare disorders. Today, Alexion has more than 1,800 employees and operations in place to serve patients in nearly 50 countries around the world.